


Remember Me. Love Me.

by TonyStarks_Girl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Feels, Sad Jefferson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:12:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2381147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TonyStarks_Girl/pseuds/TonyStarks_Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jefferson wants his family back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love Jefferson. I just need to say that. Like, I love him. He's my favorite character in the entire show, with Regina being a close second. So enjoy this.

_You smiled down at your newborn baby girl, Grace. She was beautiful, just as you’d expected. You looked up at your boyfriend, who was smiling as wide as you’d ever seen him smile. His blue eyes looked into yours and he kissed you, tears rolling down his face._

_“Thank you, my love. You’ve brought in the most beautiful child in the world.”_

_“I couldn’t do it without you, Jefferson.” You whispered, a tear of your own falling._

_He chuckled and kissed baby Grace’s forehead, “We’ve made something beautiful, together.”_

_You smiled up at him and kissed him softly, “And perhaps one day down the road we’ll create another. Maybe even have a son, a little Jefferson!”_

_Jefferson laughed softly, “Let’s see how we fare with this one. And maybe we should marry first too.”_

He clenched his jaw as he tore his gaze from one telescope, making his way to another. His (Name), _his (Name)_ was still alive, alive and well, doing better than she had been when she was in his arms! Damn Regina, damn her for what she had done to him!

He looked into another telescope, his jaw unclenching as his lips trembled. There was his Grace, Paige in this world, eating dinner with her _new_ family, with her _new_ father. And she didn’t even remember him, just as his supposedly-dead fiancée didn’t.

_“Papa, Papa!” Three year old Grace called as she stumbled over to her father, who had just returned home from doing the queen a favor, the last one, he kept telling himself over and over…_

_Jefferson smiled and knelt down in front of her, setting down his box and opening his arms, closing them tightly around her and kissing her cheek._

_“Hello there my love, were you good for your mother during my absence?”_

_The little girl nodded, “Mama and I were waiting for you, we made tea!”_

_“You did?” Jefferson asked in exaggerated wonder, picking her up and placing her on his hip before picking up the box and making their way inside._

_Grace nodded, “All the guests are there! ‘Cept you, but you’re here now, Papa!”_

_“Yes I am, and I’m not leaving anytime soon.” He promised._

_“You better not, the tea is getting cold.”_

_Jefferson looked over to the table and smiled, his love sitting patiently at her seat. He set down your daughter and put his box away before making his way to you. You smiled up at him and he leaned down, pressing his lips to yours in a sweet kiss. He cupped your face ever so gently and pulled away slightly, leaving his eyes closed as he rubbed his nose against yours._

_“You keep me sane…”_

He moved to the table, sharpening the scissors once more. Not to worry, it wouldn’t be too much longer before they’d all be reunited. They’d be back together and happy again, as a family, back in the forest where they belonged.

Emma moved quietly throughout the house, hoping to whatever god that was out there that Jefferson wouldn’t find her. She didn’t know what his deal was, but he was bat shit insane if she ever recognized it. What the hell did he put in that tea?

She snuck away quickly as she saw Jefferson check his good work, quietly opening the door and sliding in before Jefferson noticed her presence elsewhere from where he left her. She turned around and her eyes went wide as she found her friend.

“Mary Margaret!” She yelled in a whisper, instantly kneeling down in front of her to uncover her mouth and take off the bonds on her wrists and ankles.

“Emma, you have to get out, he’s-“

“Not gettin’ away free. This man is insane, he’s sick, and needs to be in jail.”

“Do you always talk this highly of people you’ve just met?”

Emma turned around to see Jefferson with a gun in his hand, pointing it right at her.

_“My love…” You said quietly as Jefferson put six year old Grace in bed._

_He turned his head to you, his shaggy hair covering his eyes. You knelt next to him and brushed his hair out of the way, kissing him ever so softly. He smiled into the kiss and stood, bringing you with him. You both looked down at your sleeping daughter, faint smiles on your faces. He took your hand and walked out of her bedroom to yours, you going to sit in bed while Jefferson got himself ready for bed himself._

_“Something is on your mind, darling. And I’d much like to know what that something is.” He commented as he removed his leather pants._

_“It’s nothing…” You said idly as you stood up to pull back the covers._

_His arms were around you, his hands resting on your stomach, “You’ve always been a terrible liar to me. Please love, tell me so I can help you.”_

_You sighed and turned in his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck, “I’m pregnant again.”_

_Jefferson’s face was shocked for a moment before he was smiling again, “That’s what worried you so? Darling, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Well, besides when Grace was born. Or when you agreed to marry me._ ”

_You smiled and kissed him, “Twins, Jefferson. We’re having twins.”_

“Make it work.” Jefferson seethed, pointing the gun directly at the back of Emma’s head as he shoved her down into the chair.

“I can’t! Hats aren’t magical, magic isn’t real!”

“Yes it is!” Jefferson yelled, “Because if it wasn’t real, if any of this _is_ real, it’s because of magic. Now make . The hat. _Work.”_

“Why does this matter to you so much? What the hell is so important about me making a hat and making it “work” like you say it needs to?”

Jefferson pulled her up and led her to a telescope, “Take a look.”

Emma skeptically bent down and looked through, watching as the girl Paige from Henry’s school ate dinner with her family.

“That’s my daughter.” Jefferson said weakly, “Her name is Grace, here it’s Paige, but it’s Grace. I know because I’m her father and I chose that name. When the queen cast the curse I was away from home, and now I’m trapped, here, without my daughter. I’ve been in this house for twenty-eight years, making hats that won’t work. I want my daughter back, I want my _wife_ back, and I can’t do that unless you get it to work.”

“Jefferson, that’s not your daughter-“

“Yes she is!” He yelled, “I was right there when she was born, I was there for every moment of her life. Until I left her. And now I’m here, this is my curse. I watch my daughter be raised by a different family, by a different father. She doesn’t know I exist here. And neither does my wife.”

Emma looked at the mother, “Is that your wife?”

“No.” Jefferson walked to another telescope, prompting Emma to look through.

“That’s Regina’s assistant.” Emma said with a bit of disdain.

“Don’t talk with that tone about her. What Regina’s done to you, to all of us is exactly that, Regina. My wife has nothing to do with any of that. She just helps her with the simple stuff, like coffee or picking up her son from school.” Jefferson said in a frightening voice.

“Okay, okay, I get it. Besides, she’s helped me out a time or two, I don’t have a problem with her. So what makes you think she’s your wife?”

Jefferson bit his lip, “Technically she wasn’t my wife yet, we were engaged to be married for years. We could never afford a wedding and I was going to give her the wedding of her dreams.”

Emma looked around again, “A place this grand and you couldn’t afford the wedding of her dreams?”

“Not in the forest.” Jefferson said as he licked his lips, “At home, where we belong, we were poor. She made dresses and I made hats, portal jumping on the side. But I stopped, I quit doing Regina favors when my wife was killed.”

“Jefferson, if your “wife” was dead, she wouldn’t be making dinner right now in her house with her new husband-“

“That’s not her husband!” Jefferson shouted, “I’m her husband, that’s just this world’s version of the love of her life, and they aren’t even married. He’s just her boyfriend, nothing more and that’s how it’ll stay.”

“Okay… And I suppose you think her twins are yours too?”

“Think? I know. _I know_. Those are my sons, I’ve never met them. She was pregnant when I thought Regina killed her, she gave birth while she was captured in the castle, locked away. Those boys… We named them Alexander and Sebastian. Their names are Joey and Robert here. I’ve never got to meet them…” He whispered.

Emma looked at the brunet, unsure of how to feel. This man was insane, he had to me completely mad! There was no way he believed Henry’s story about the curse, it just didn’t make sense. This was a grown, _insane_ man that believed three kids were his and that Regina’s assistant was his fiancé. He couldn’t be telling the truth, he was just crazy. Simply crazy.

“Jefferson, if you believe that’s your fiancé and those are your kids, why don’t you reach out?”

“And infect them with this curse too? I’m mad, not selfish. Who am I, besides a father and husband, to tear them away from their families? Do you know the confusion and pain they’ll go through? Especially the boys… My boys, who will never know me because of this evil curse… They don’t know I exist and they never will, even with time being frozen here. My only sons… They are raised by another man, just as my Grace is raised by another. And my (Name), _my (Name)…_ Her name is Lizbeth here…”

“Jefferson, you won’t know unless you try.”

“I won’t get them back unless you make me my damn hat- Unless you make it work! I’ve waited almost thirty years and I won’t wait any longer to have my wife and children in my arms. So do what I said.” Jefferson pointed the gun back at Emma and made her sit back down in the chair, handing her the large scissors he sharpened.

“Make it work. This is my only hope, my only way to have my happy ending back.”

_“Jefferson, I thought you said no more portal jumping.”_

_“It’s just until we can get married, darling. Then we’ll get married and I’ll stop for good, I promise.”_

_“And if that’s not until after the twins are born? Then what?”_

_Jefferson cupped your face, “There is nothing to worry about my love, things will be perfectly fine. I’ll be back within the hour and then we’ll have tea with Grace, and after that I’ll take her in the woods to play while you work on your dresses, okay?”_

_“Okay…” You said reluctantly._

_Jefferson smiled and kissed you, pulling away to pick up his hat box, “Grace shouldn’t be home for a little  while, so you get some rest while I’m gone before tea and work.”_

_“Only if you get some rest tonight.”_

_“As long as you’re beside me, I’ll always rest easy.”_

“So about your wife…”

“What?”

“Why haven’t you moved on from her?”

Jefferson bit his lip, “Because I can’t. Even if I wanted to, I can’t. I owe her everything. I’m indebted to her. She saved me from Regina’s wrath…”

“Uh huh…” Emma said as she cut some fabric.

“Back in the forest she was more than just Regina’s assistant, she was her daughter. I was going to be executed because I refused to help the queen visit Oz, but (Name) was able to change her mind.”

“So you and Lizbeth-“

“(Name)!”

“Alright, sorry, (Name)! So she changed her mind and then what?”

“I was locked up. Instead of killing me, (Name) got Regina to imprison me for life instead. She visited me in my cell, making sure we were alone before she gave me a way out of the castle. She told me to leave and never come back. But before I left she kissed me, and I knew then that she was my true love. I left the castle and fled deep into the forest and hid. While I was gone she explained to Regina that one of the guards let me out, causing Regina to kill half of her men. A year later (Name) had come looking for me and she found me in what soon became our home together. She explained how the queen respected me for managing to escape her castle and that I was truly a free man, but I couldn’t let her leave again.”

“Because she’s your true love, right?” Emma asked. This man may have been crazy, but he could tell one hell of a story.

“Exactly. So I took her hand and pulled her into a kiss, one she happily returned. I confessed my love to her right then and there.”

“Wait, you told her you loved her after your second time meeting her?”

“If it’s true, you can say it the first time. And it was and it still is. She loved me back, and so we stayed in the forest together. Regina surprisingly didn’t care, and that always had me suspicious. That always lingered in my mind, even when Grace was born, when I proposed, and when she told me she was pregnant with our twins.”

“So what happened that destroyed it all?”

“Regina offered me one last job that could give (Name) her wedding, Grace any toys, any tea set she wished for, and anything the twins could have ever asked for. And my wife told me, _she told me many times_ that she had a bad feeling about that certain job, that she knew her mother and could tell when she had something up her sleeve. So I promised I wouldn’t do it.”

“And then something happened that changed your mind.” Emma concluded.

Jefferson nodded, “There was a tea set that Grace wanted from the market, but I didn’t have enough money. So I sent her to the neighbors as my wife rested and went to the castle. The queen betrayed me and locked me up, and the next thing I knew we were at my home. My wife couldn’t see or hear me, but she could Regina. I watched as my wife was murdered by her mother, Regina calling her terrible things, like a traitor and unworthy of love, even from a poor man like me.”

“I can actually see Regina doing that…”

“That’s because she did do it! She murdered my wife right in front of my damn eyes and didn’t feel an ounce of remorse as she killed her only daughter, my only love!” Jefferson shouted, standing as he shook.

“I live my life without my family, without what makes me complete! What good is this house, this _life_ without them?!”

“I get what you mean.”

“Do you? _Do you?!”_ Jefferson shouted again, trigger finger shaking some more, “You willingly gave up your son, I was forced to lose my family! I didn’t have a choice in the matter, meanwhile you had the damn choice and you made it. Do you really understand my predicament?!”

Emma jumped, dropping the hat. She knew he was crazy, but this emotion was raw, it was real. Did he… Could he… Was he…

_Telling the truth the whole time?_

“Calm down Jefferson-“

Jefferson snapped, his rage getting the best of him as his index finger pulled the trigger.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The curse is broken.
> 
> Outfit mentioned. (And hair): http://www.polyvore.com/remember_me_love_jeffersonxreader_part/collection?id=3954228

Jefferson woke up to bright lights in his face and a pain in his side. He groaned as he sat up, ignoring the pain in his side. Nothing was more painful than going without his family, without his boys he’d never meet, or his Grace. Grace was all he had for a long time until he abandoned her, falling _again_ for Regina’s tricks and losing Grace like he damn well deserved to.

He wiped his eyes as he felt them dampen before looking around. He’d never gone this far into town before, at least, when people knew he was there. He was probably getting locked up for kidnapping Emma and Mary Margaret, but he didn’t care. He was the Mad Hatter, he’d get out one way or another. And then he’d go back to his mansion, alone, without his wife and kids. Same shit different day…

He looked over at the sound of heels clicking towards him, nearly fainting. There was (Name)—No, Lizbeth in this world— walking towards him… worried? She opened the door, Henry right behind her. He could have died right then and there, seeing his wife with her uniquely colored hair, wearing the arrow bracelet he had the matching leaf one to at home.

Though, he still didn’t know _why_ she came to see him…

 He gave them both a confused look. “Um-“

“I’m so sorry sir, Madame Mayor asked me to and come check on you and I had to pick up her son as well. Are you alright?” You asked, observing where he was bandaged.

“Jefferson.” He said, overjoyed you were so concerned. Maybe this was all he would need to go on, you worrying over him just as you did back in your world…

“Okay Jefferson,” You said, looking into his eyes, familiarity striking you. “Have we met before?”

Jefferson opened his mouth, struggling for words, “Uh… No… I… No.” He said finally.

“Hm… Maybe I’ve seen you around before. Anyway-“

“Lizbeth!”

You turned around to see your boyfriend with your almost three year old twins in his arms. You furrowed your brows.

“James, now isn’t a good time-“

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I need to leave the kids with you, I have to go to work now-“

“But it’s almost five-“

“I know, I know. Just… I’ll see you tonight. Love you.”

James quickly placed the twins in your arms and rushed out, not even bothering to give you a kiss goodbye. You stood in shock, Jefferson raging in silence. What kind of asshole would leave without a kiss?! Even _he_ left you with a kiss the last time he saw you…

One of the twins started squirming around in your arms, prompting Henry to take the non-squirmy one. You smiled at him gratefully and turned to Jefferson.

“I will be right back Jefferson, and then I’ll get to what Regina wanted me here for.”

You kissed the fussy twins’ cheek and walked out of the hospital room, Henry turning to Jefferson. He thrust the child into Jefferson’s arms.

“Here, he’s yours anyway.”

Jefferson could have fainted.

“How… How do you know? How do you know of my curse?”

Henry pulled out his story book and made the brunet scoot over, plopping down next to him and opening to a page about halfway through. He showed him a picture of himself with his hands cupping your face. You were both smiling wide and your arms were around his neck.

“That’s when she told me she was pregnant with the twins…” He breathed.

“Yeah, I know. Just like I know Paige is your daughter and Lizbeth is your fiancée. And that my mom is the Evil Queen!”

“You are the only sane one here.” Jefferson commented before looking down at his son.

“This one’s Robert. I think he likes you.”

Jefferson smiled down at his son, “I love him.”

The little boy smiled at his biological father, patting his face. Jefferson smiled widely at his son. Would this one be Sebastian or Alexander back in the forest? Didn’t matter, he loved him senseless already. He kissed the boy’s cheek softly, pressing his forehead to his little boy’s.

“I love you, my little one…” He whispered to the toddler.

Robert giggled and wrapped his arms around Jefferson’s head in a hug, making Henry laugh.

“See? It’s easy with Robert, and it will for Joey too. And Paige.”

“Grace.” Jefferson corrected as he set Robert on his lap and let him play with his fingers.

“What?”

“Her real name is Grace. And Lizbeth is (Name) in our world, at our home.”

“Right.” Henry noted, making sure to remember to talk to Emma about it later. “You can get them back Jefferson, just tell her.”

“I can’t, that’d be crass of me. With this curse they’ll never remember…”

“You can always try.”

They sat in silence for a while, Jefferson smiling as he played with his little boy for the first time. Soon enough you were back with a now happy Joey, who was looking at his brother in… Jealousy?

You walked to the bed, “Henry, I gave you the baby to hold, not the man who accidentally shot himself. He needs rest, not a baby on him, especially when he doesn’t have any children.”

“But he does!” Henry argued, “These are his kids, and so is Paige from school! But her name’s Grace, just like you’re his fiancée!”

“Henry, I’ve only met Jefferson just now-“

“Maybe in this world, but in your world, you’re engaged to him! You have the twins and Paige together! You guys were waiting to get married for when you could have a beautiful wedding, but then the Evil Queen split you guys apart!”

You looked at Jefferson, embarrassed, “I’m sorry Jefferson, he’s got an active imagination-“

“He’s not wrong.”

Your eyes went wide, “… What?”

Jefferson looked into your eyes, pleading. “He’s telling the truth. Back in the forest, where we’re all from, you and I were together. You saved me from being executed by your mother, and then helped me escape. We fell in love and you found me a year later, and then you ran away from home to be with me. We’re soulmates, and I love you. You kept me from going mad for years, and without you I’m completely insane.”

Your mouth was hanging open as Joey reached for his brother. Henry got up and took the boy, placing him on Jefferson’s other leg, the little boy looking at his father. Jefferson smiled at the boy as he kissed his cheek, looking over at you.

“These are our boys, (Name).”

“My… My name’s Lizbeth.”

“Here, but not where we belong. You’re my (Name), the love of my life and I yours! And for the past twenty-eight years I’ve been forced to watch you and our children live away from me, and I can’t wait any longer.”

“Jefferson…”

He reached for your hand and took it, a vision suddenly flowing through your mind.

_“Don’t leave,” He pleaded._

_You looked behind him, “I must go, Jefferson. That was the only reason for me seeking you out.”_

_He pulled you in for a kiss, pressing harder when you returned it eagerly. He pulled away and looked into your eyes, “I love you, my dear.”_

You gasped as you came back to reality, looking at the man once more. There were a few changes, like his hair was short and there was a scar all along his neck. You looked into his eyes, the happiness that was in the vision no longer there.

“Jefferson, I don’t know you…”

“Yes, you do! You love me, you agreed to marry me, you mothered our children!”

“I think you hit your head a little too hard when you fell, Jefferson. Get some rest.” You quickly picked up your babies, who were reaching for the brunet the second they were removed from his lap.

“Come on Henry, I have to get you home.”

You quickly walked away from Jefferson, the boys looking back at their father.

“Papa!” They shouted in unison.

You stopped, looking at the boys and then Jefferson.

“That’s… They… They’ve never called James papa… Or anything like that…”

Jefferson pushed the bed sheets away from him, holding his side as he moved to stand. “That’s because they’re my sons. They are _our_ children, (Name).”

Your lip quivered a bit, “And as for Paige? Or Grace, as you call her? She’s not my daughter, I only see her when I pick Henry up from school.”

“She is your daughter, we had her when we were together for about six years.” Jefferson took a step forward.

You licked your lips, which had gone dry as things felt more… Familiar, even though you felt you should have been completely freaked out by that point. You looked at the twins and then your estranged lover.

“Jefferson… I… How? How the hell can anything you’re saying be real?” You asked nearly angrily.

“Your mother. But we can go back, leave all this behind! I just need a hat to work and we can go home.”

You bit your lip and turned around, “I don’t know you. Come on Henry, we wouldn’t want to keep your mother waiting. She’ll probably be home by the time we get there. Now let’s go.”

You walked away from Jefferson and out of the room, the boys protesting immediately. Henry packed up his storybook, looking at Jefferson.

“Don’t worry Jefferson, you’ll get them back. You should probably sit down though.”

The hatter sat down weakly, his eyes filling with tears. He looked at Henry.

“They really are gone forever.”

Henry placed his hands on Jefferson’s shoulders, “No they’re not. You’ll get them back, just give me some time! Emma and I will make sure you get your happy ending back, okay?”

Jefferson just sat there in his thoughts, leaving Henry to sigh and go catch up to you.

xXx

A few nights later you were ready to explode. Again James had to work, which left you alone with Robert and Joey, who wouldn’t stop calling for “Papa” whenever James was gone. Regina had given you a few days off, your lack of sleep making you pretty much useless to her.

“Papa! Papa!” The twins shouted, crying and shouting.

The terrible twos indeed…

“Babies, your father is-“

“Papa!” Robert screeched.

You sighed and held your head in your hands, groaning when you heard a knock on your door. You moved from the floor where the twins were crying and opened it to see nothing and no one. You shook your head, thinking you were just hearing things.

That is, until you looked down.

There was a picture, one of James with… Ruby? You picked it up and examined it further, eyes going wide in shock as you realized they were kissing. You grit your teeth and tore the picture in half, turning around to pack up a bag or two and head to Granny’s, your eyes closed.

“Papa!”

“He’s not here!” You yelled.

“Oh but I am.”

Your eyes popped open and you stopped to see Jefferson on the floor, the twins standing on either side of him, his arms around each of them.

“You… How did you get in my house?”

“Easily. Next question.”

You swallowed thickly and stepped towards him, “Let go of my children.”

“They’re mine too, (Name).”

“No they’re not! They are mine and James’ children, not yours!” You shouted, eyes tearing up at the thought of the cheating bastard, “I hadn’t even met you before last week!”

Jefferson stood up and stepped towards you, “Yes you have. You are the love of my life. I need you, I need our kids.” He pleaded.

“Jefferson-“

He took another step forward, brushing some of your hair out of your face, “Shh, don’t speak, my darling. Just let me talk.”

You swallowed but nevertheless did as he asked. You looked into his eyes as he stepped even closer, looking down at you with raw emotion in his eyes.

“I love you, (Name). And I am absolutely lost without you. We’re cursed, all of us. The Evil Queen, Regina, she took away all of our happy endings, and you, our kids… You’re all my happy ending. Our boys… They love me, they know the truth! And I need you to, so we can have our Grace back and be _together.”_

You licked your lips, “Jefferson… This sounds insane, everything you and Henry have been telling me is so _asinine…”_

“It may be crazy, but it’s true.” The brunet said, cupping your face.

You bit your lip, “I… I can’t right now Jefferson.” You said, teary-eyed, “Whatever this is, whatever you and Henry may be onto, I just can’t deal…” You sniffed, looking at the pieces of the picture once more.

Jefferson took the picture he set down and tossed the remnants in the fire, reeling you in for a big, strong hug. Your eyes popped open again as something came flooding back into your mind.

_“My mother… She will want me to return home. She does not know I came to find you.”_

_“And she doesn’t have to. Stay with me, we both know you’d rather be in my arms than locked away in that castle.”_

_“Of course I would, I’ve been thinking of you for a year! But my mother’s hold on me is strong, Jefferson. She wants to teach me more magic, even though I’m not very good at it. Just look what I did to my hair as a child.” You smiled softly, pointing to the blue and green locks you created._

_“And I love your hair as is. I want you here, I can’t—No, I won’t let you get away. You and I are two sides of the same coin, meant to be! Do you really want to let your mother get in the way of that?”_

_You cupped his face and smiled, “Of course not Jefferson. I love you.”_

_The hatter smiled and hugged you tightly, “I love you too, my dear. We will always find a way to be together, in this life or another.”_

You pulled away, looking up at the hatter. You shook your head and sat on the floor next to the twins, holding your head in your hands, “This… What the hell is happening to me?”

Jefferson knelt down in front of you, “Are you remembering?”

“I… I don’t know! I just… When you took my hand back in the hospital, I had a vague vision, but it was like… Like a memory! You were… You were pleading with me not to leave, an-and then you took my hand and kissed me, saying you loved me.”

“And I do. Too much to allow myself to live without you for another twenty-eight years.”

“Jefferson… I don’t know how to feel. I don’t know what to think. But what I do know is that I’m hurt right now and I don’t want to love anyone.” You said with a shaky voice, “James… He’s cheating on me with Ruby! But why? I’ve never done anything wrong, I’ve done everything he’s ever asked me without even a complaint!”

Joey and Robert moved on either side of you, wrapping their little arms around you, comforting you. They kissed your cheeks and nuzzled their faces into your cheeks, making your tears spill over. You wrapped your arms around the babies and held onto them like they were the only anchor you had, and at that moment they were.

Jefferson gingerly pulled both you and the boys into his embrace, kissing your forehead and the boys’.

“Things will be alright, (Name). I promise you. I won’t let anyone hurt you or the boys, or even Grace. I will never leave you again. You just have to trust me.”

xXx

 _“I love you, Henry…”_ Emma whispered before gently kissing her son’s forehead.

A rainbow colored whiff of magic passed through the town, Jefferson and the boys at the mansion when it happened.

It’d been a month since you left your cheating boyfriend, and Jefferson had opened up the mansion to you the night you found out the truth. He had a room just for you, along with one for the boys. He’d been nothing but kind and caring, even with his own madness sprinkled in. He’d been giving you the life he’d been wanting to give you for damn near forty years now.

You were out shopping when the true love’s kiss happened that broke the curse, the rainbow hitting you probably the hardest out of anyone, knocking off of your caged platform heels. You sat up and looked around, remembering everything. You brushed back a blue lock of hair and looked at your wrist, tears brought to your eyes as you remembered just who gave you that bracelet. You looked down at your clothes and nearly spat.

“Where are the _layers?!”_

You stood up and looked around. Grace’s bus should have been coming around any second now…

_Grace…_

“Grace!” You shouted, running towards the bus stop.

Sure enough the bus had just let off and you saw your baby girl, walking in the opposite direction with her friends. You stopped at a telephone pole, biting your lip.

The last time you had seen her, as Grace, not Paige, was a long time ago. You’d been “dead” to her and your husband for two years, nearly three before they were separated as well. Would she be angry with you? Would she get the wrong idea, one that you’d left her and her father?

But still, even with your doubts, you _had_ to hold her again…

“Grace!” You cried out.

She stopped and turned around, her heart nearly stopping as she laid eyes on you, her long-gone mother.

“M… Mama?”

You nodded, tears leaking out the corners of your eyes, “Yes, baby. It’s Mama.”

 _“Mama!”_ She screamed, running towards you.

You knelt down and opened your arms, embracing your daughter for the first time in nearly thirty-one years. You rubbed her back and picked her up, moving her to your hip as you brushed her blonde hair out of her face.

“You’ve gotten so big, so beautiful…” You said with a big smile on your face.

“Mama… Papa, he… He said you were dead, the Evil Queen killed you!”

“My mother didn’t kill me, Grace.” You sniffed.

“She… She’s your mother?!”

You nodded, “Your grandmother. But let’s not talk about that right now.”

Grace smiled, “Papa! Mama, we need to find Papa, and then we’ll be together again!”

You chuckled and kissed your daughter’s cheek, beginning the walk home, “Papa and I were reunited a month ago. Granted, I didn’t remember him, but… But I know where he is. I’ve been staying with him. But that’s still not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Grace hugged you tight, “Then what, Mama?”

You looked at your oldest child with a large smile, “Papa and I were going to tell you the night I was kidnapped… You have two little brothers now.”

“I… I do?”

You nodded, “You’ve never met them before. Back home their names are Sebastian and Alexander.”

Grace smiled as you got closer to the mansion, “Grace, Sebastian, Alexander, (Name), and Jefferson. Our family.”

“Yes,” You smiled, “our family. Now let’s go see them!”

You started running to your home, yelling as you arrived, “Jefferson! Jefferson love, where are you?”

“In the living room!” He called, not noticing your pet name tacked on as he was busy playing with his boys.

You set Grace down and walked to the doorway, silently telling her to stay there. You walked further into the room and smiled.

“Father and sons… A beautiful thing.”

He looked up at you, “Did you just…?”

You smiled, “Jefferson, I remember. The curse is broken!”

He instantly stood up and kissed you, and he could have cried when he felt you kiss back. You pulled away and hugged your fiancé.

“Grace…” He breathed, “I… I can’t see her. She’ll hate me, I left her!”

“No she won’t Jefferson.”

“And how could you possibly know that?”

Grace took that as her cue to step in the doorway, “I could never hate you Papa.”

Jefferson nearly fainted as he moved to his knees, Grace tackling him to the ground. You smiled and sat down with them, taking off your gray coat as the twins crawled over to you all. You pulled them in your lap as Jefferson moved to you, holding your daughter in his lap as she looked at her brothers.

You introduced them, pointing to Robert, “This is Alexander,” Then Joey, “And this is Sebastian. Your little brothers.”

Jefferson denied it later, but tears were falling down his face at his reunion. Finally, finally, _finally_ the day came where you remembered him and loved him, and soon you’d get the wedding of your dreams as promised, and everything would be absolutely perfect.


End file.
